Acts Study: 2:34-38

Review:

The Spirit just fell upon the whole Jerusalem church, who were proclaiming the mighty works of God and miraculously being heard in other languages.

The Jerusalem crowds were astonished.

Peter answered them with a sermon on Joel, Psalm 16, and Psalm 110. So far he has said:

These are the last days in which the Spirit is being poured out on everyone, just like Joel said.

Terrifying judgement is coming.

All who call on the Lord will be saved.

Jesus was from God.

Jesus died because you wickedly murdered him according to God’s plan.

God rased him up because it was impossible for death to hold him (because he trusted in a faithful God?)

God exalted him to the right hand of God.

Jesus received the Spirit from the Father and poured it out on his people - the church.

Verses 34-35:

Again, there are Psalms that David wrote that weren’t ultimately about him, but about Jesus. This one is a bit more obvious...

In the Hebrew, “YHWY said to my Lord...”

So, “my Lord” is someone greater than David who actually sits at the right hand of YHWH in heaven, who David foresaw.

Why, “Sit at my right hand”?

It is metaphorical language for Jesus reigning from heaven.

It is the throne from which he is our king.

Why, “Until I make your enemies your footstool”? What did this mean for Peter’s listeners?

It describes God’s purposes right now.

Peter’s listeners had made themselves the Messiah’s enemies!

Verse 36:

This verse is the knife to the heart!

The one you crucified? Yeah. God has made him Lord and he is the only source of hope for salvation on the coming day of the Lord.

God is making a footstool out of his enemies, and you have a giant target painted on you because of your wickedness.

Verse 37:

How did they react?

What did they ask?

Verse 38:

The whole first part of this sermon was all about what God has done through Christ. But...

What is the human responsibility in conversion?

Repent: what does that mean?

Turn from sin and to God

Some have said, “it just means to change your mind”

In truth it is more holistic… a change of beliefs and loves which results in a new relationship to God and a new relationship to sin.

Be baptized: why? Does this mean we are saved by works?

Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin… true faith involves repentance, and true repentance is done in faith

Baptism is (among other things) an expression of faith - it is the way God has commanded for us to say, “I belong to Jesus. I trust him.”

So it is not the act of baptism that saves us, but inward reality symbolized by baptism.

Since baptism is how we say, “I belong to Jesus”, it is also how we become part of the church

What are the results?

Forgiveness of sins.

The Holy Spirit.

Reflection:

Are there any ways in which this feels different from how you share the gospel or have heard it shared?

Are there any parts of this sermon which seem context-specific to you?